Not long ago we talked about the Stoic view on punctuality. It’s a pretty simple one: Being on time is important. It’s a matter of respect, not just for oneself, but also for others. So what do you think the Stoics would have thought of Oscar Wilde’s intriguing remark that “punctuality is the thief of time?”

Perhaps they would have agreed.

While it’s important to be on time so as to not take for granted other people’s time, it’s also important to recognize (and defend against) how easy it is to get consumed by meeting some arbitrary standard for its own sake–to lose the forest for the trees. The person who can’t focus because they are anxious about an upcoming appointment? Who is rushed and frenzied because they feel the need to get everywhere early? Feeling guilty because you were late or had to reschedule? Cutting this thing short so you can start another? This is not what good self-discipline looks like. It’s wasting time while purporting to care a lot about it.

It’s also worth asking: What is this thing that I am needing to be on time for anyway? One of Marcus Aurelius’ most provocative questions to himself in Meditations is, “Am I afraid of death because I won’t be able to do this anymore?” We should be asking what the point is of all these appointments we’re making. We should ask ourselves why we are so committed to being punctual for work things…meanwhile, we constantly put off and delay our own self-development. Where is our time for ourselves? For stillness? For philosophy?

Seneca notes how much time we waste in life. It may well be that we are wasting much of that time and energy thinking about things as unfulfilling and unproductive as being on time. Being punctual is important, yes. But more critical is making time for the things that really matter…and then being on time for those.